Paraffin remover



Dec. 12, 1939. G. F. PENROD PARAFFINAREMOVER Filed May 26, 1939 INVENTOR. GEORGE E PENROD ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 12, 1939 PARAFFIN annoys];

George F. Penrod, Jackson Township, Wells County, Ind.

Application may 26, 1939, Serial No. 275,807

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in implements intended for use in wells wherein obstructions such as deposits and accumulation of paraflin', asein gas and oil wells, are encountered. 6 On account of the density of the paraffin mass and to the tenacity with which it clings to the interior surfaces of the well tubing; and owing to the resistance it presents to tools of any kind, the removal of same from the well has long been a problem.

The present invention proceeds upon the idea of providing a device of open work construction, with upwardly acting valves in its lower portion and a riving or rending element in its upper portion, and the bottom of the device embodying an annular cutting edge, said device being adapted to be attached to the sucker rod, sinker or the like as used in gas and oil well operations; and which said device upon being lowered, will cut and shave its way along the interior surface of the tubing, the severed portion of the paraflin being free to be received upon the interior of the device and then to be torn or riven so that impacting is prevented; and whereby, upon the device being raised, it is possible to carry upward and free from the tubing, all of the paraflin that will have been severed.

Accordingly, the object of my invention is, broadly stated, to provide an implement constructed upon the principles above set forth,

become apparent as the description of my inven tion proceeds, are accomplished by, and the invention is embodied in the new construction, combination and arrangement of parts described in the following specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

The several parts of the invention are identified by suitable characters of reference applied to them in the different views in the drawing, in

which- Figure 1 is a side view of my improved paraflin remover, the tubing within which the implement is operated, being indicated by broken lines.

Figure 2 is a top plan view taken in the direction of arrow 2 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view taken in the direction of arrow 3 in Figure -1.

Figure 4 is a vertical central sectional view taken on the broken line |4 and in the direction of arrow 4 in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional top plan View taken on the broken line 55 and in the direction of arrow 5 in Figure 4. l The body structure of my improved implement, is of tool or nickel steel, and it consists of the similar and relatively narrow opposed vertical sides I and l which are integrated at their lower portions with cylindrical base 2 which has It threaded bore 3. The said sides are integrated at their upper portions with a downwardly directed rending element which by reason of its function being to split or cleave, is designated as wedge 5. Its point edge 6 is of substantially the formation 15 as shown in Figure 1. The top of said body structure embodies a threaded central stud 8 which is adapted to be secured to the lower end of any usual well working appliance (not shown) and which may be referred to as a tool stem. :0 The plane of the top edges l0 and lb of the base 2, is below the plane of the free ends of the valves presently to be mentioned, when the latter are in the raised or open position, said plane being indicated by the broken line P-P shown in Figg5 ure 4.

\ Cylindrical barrel I made of tool or of nickel steel and which is of diameter to accord with the diameter of the well tubing within which the invention is to ,be worked, is externally threaded, Q0 and it is screwed into the bore 3 of said base 2, the annular seat l5 thereof being firmly seated against the bottom edge of the said base 2. The barrel is interiorly beveled at its bottom to constitute the annular peripheral cutting edge 16 35 thereat. On top of said barrel, complemental oppositely disposed flap valves 20 and 20 are retained, as by the pivotal connections 2! and 2|. These valves are adapted to be moved upwardly and to the open position as indicatedby the 0 broken lines in Figure 4.

My improved implement, upon being secured to the end of the well tool (not shown) is lowered into the well, the annular edge Ii cutting the paraflin loose from theinterior surfaces of 45 the well tubing, the portions of the paraffin so severed being received in the bore 22 of the barrel and causing the valves 20 and 20 to rise. With the continued descent of the implement and the reception within same of the severed 5 paraflin, the paraffin so received is riven by the action of the wedge 5. This riving or tending action is possible on account of the space afforded between the opposed interior surfaces of the well tubing in the zone immediately above the base of the implement. The said riving action, rending as it does, the paraffin, prevents any tendency of the parafiln to offer resistance to the cutting action of the implement. It also prevents any tendency of the paraflin to oflfer resistance to the raising of the implement. There being no possibility of the parafllnin its riven and divided status to become impacted, continued downward progress of the implement in its cutting action is not impeded.

After the implement will have cut its way entirely through the parafiin deposit or block, it is then raised. Upon beginning the raising of the implement, the resistance oflfered by the superincumbent paraflin at the portion thereof immediately at the top surfaces Ill and of r the base 2 of the implement body, constitutes a lateral bulging of the paraflin which causes the valve plates 20 and 20 to be automatically moved and lowered to the shut position, the bore of the barrel ll thereby being closed. Upon continuing upward movement of the implement, the severed and superincumbent paraiiin is carried to the top of the well tubing whence it is discharged.

' Whereas in this exemplification of the invention I have shown the several parts in what I consider the preferred form, structure, proportioning and arrangement, it will be understood that modifications may be made, within the scope of the invention as it is defined in the appended claims, without departing from the spirit or prin ciple of the invention.

35 What I claim as my invention, is-

1. An implement of the kind described, consisting of an open work body structure adapted to be attached to the tool stem, and embodying at its lower portion a cylindrical barrel having an internal annular ledge, and its bottom being beveledupwardly to constitute a circumferential cutting edge, upwardly acting oppositely disposed valves mountedon said ledge, and a downwardly disposed riving element embodied in said, body structure at its upper portion.

2. An implement of the kind described, comprising a body structure transversely apertured, its upper portion embodying a downwardly directed transverse wedge, and its base portion being provided with a central longitudinal bore, a barrel secured within said bore, said barrel being of diameter substantially equivalent to the inside diameter of the well tubing and being interiorly beveled at its bottom to constitute an annular cutting edge thereat, and valve plates mounted pivotally on the top of said barrel and at a plane below the plane of the top of the base portion of the said body structure.

3. A paraflln remover for wells of the kind described, consisting of a transversely apertured body structure whose upper portion embodies a threaded head stud and a downwardly directed diametric wedge, and the lower portion of said body structure being provided with a threaded bore, a barrel threaded into the said bore and having interior bevel at its bottom to constitute an annular cutting edge thereat, and complemental flap valves mounted on the top of said barrel.

GEORGE F. PENROD. 

